This technology can be used where there is a need to rapidly deploy large, rugged structures
including military, emergency services and disaster relief, and camping.
The environmental conditions of the
Moon require mitigation if a long-term
human presence is to be achieved for
extended periods of time. Radiation,
micrometeoroid impacts, high-velocity
debris, and thermal cycling represent
threats to crew, equipment, and facilities.
For decades, local regolith has been
suggested as a candidate material to use
in the construction of protective barriers.
A thickness of roughly 3 m is sufficient
protection from both direct and
secondary radiation from cosmic rays
and solar protons; this thickness is sufficient
to reduce radiation exposure even
during solar flares. NASA has previously
identified a need for innovations that
will support lunar habitats using lightweight
structures because the reduction
of structural mass translates directly into
additional up and down mass capability
that would facilitate additional logistics
capacity and increased science return
for all mission phases. The development
of non-pressurized primary structures
that have synergy with the development
of pressurized structures is also of interest.
The use of indigenous or in situ
materials is also a well-known and active
area of research that could drastically
improve the practicality of human
exploration beyond low-Earth orbit.

An innovation was created for the
Cosmology Large Angular Scale Surveyor
for integration of low-temperature detector
chips with a silicon backshort and a silicon
photonic choke through flip-chip
bonding. Indium bumps are typically patterned
using liftoff processes, which
require thick resist. In some applications,
it is necessary to locate the bumps close to
high-aspect-ratio structures such as wafer
through-holes. In those cases, liftoff
processes are challenging, and require
complicated and time-consuming spray
coating technology if the high-aspect-ratio
structures are delineated prior to the indium
bump process. Alternatively, processing
the indium bumps first is limited by
compatibility of the indium with subsequent
processing. The present invention
allows for locating bumps arbitrarily close
to multiple-level high-aspect-ratio structures,
and for indium bumps to be
formed without liftoff resist.

A document describes a high-performance
thermal distribution panel (TDP)
concept using high-conductivity (>800
W/mK) macro composite skin with in situ
heat pipes. The processing technologies
proposed to build such a panel result in a
one-piece, inseparable assembly with high
conductance in both the X and Y planes.
The TDP configuration can also be used to
produce panels with high structural stiffness.
The one-piece construction of the
TDP eliminates the thermal interface
between the cooling plenums and the heat
spreader base, and obviates the need for
bulky mounting flanges and thick heat
spreaders used on baseline designs. The
conductivity of the TDP can be configured
to exceed 800 W/mK with a mass density
below 2.5 g/cm3. This material can provide
efficient conductive heat transfer between
the in situ heat plenums, permitting the
use of thinner panel thicknesses. The
plenums may be used as heat pipes, loop
heat pipes, or liquid cooling channels.

A report describes a size-sorting
method to separate and concentrate
micrometer-size dust from a broad size
range of particles without using sieves,
fluids, or other processes that may modify
the composition or the surface properties
of the dust.

These technologies have applications in fixed and mobile large-area photovoltaic renewable
energy systems.
The Flexible Array Concentrator
Technology (FACT) is a lightweight,
high-performance reflective concentrator
blanket assembly that can be used
on flexible solar array blankets. The
FACT concentrator replaces every other
row of solar cells on a solar array blanket,
significantly reducing the cost of
the array. The modular design is highly
scalable for the array system designer,
and exhibits compact stowage, good offpointing
acceptance, and mass/cost savings.
The assembly’s relatively low concentration
ratio, accompanied by a
large radiative area, provides for a low
cell operating temperature, and eliminates
many of the thermal problems
inherent in high-concentration-ratio
designs. Unlike other reflector technologies,
the FACT concentrator modules
function on both z-fold and rolled
flexible solar array blankets, as well as
rigid array systems.

The purpose of this innovation is to
enhance nucleation of single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) in the HiPco process,
selectively producing 10,10 tubes, something
which until now has not been
thought possible.

A method has been developed for
machining MgO crystal blocks into forms
for containing metallic and silicate liquids
at temperatures up to 2,400 ºC, and
pressures up to at least 320 kilobars.
Possible custom shapes include tubes,
rods, insulators, capsules, and guides. Key
differences in this innovative method
include drilling along the crystallographic
zone axes, use of a vibration minimizing
material to secure the workpiece, and
constant flushing of material swarf with a
cooling medium/lubricant (water).

Question of the Week

This week's Question: Last week, Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla, said that the electric car maker would introduce autonomous technology, an autopilot mode, by this summer; the technology will allow drivers to have their vehicles take control...